Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-06

OF ABRAHAM LlnCOlu. IL uAoy w oOuSN
here that the most fitting appendix to the
life of John G. Calhoun would be an &C.
count of the evacuation OF Richmond Dy
the Confederate Government and copy OF
the terms of surrender of the armies OF Leo
DEMOCRACY AND THE LABOR ELE-
MENT.
The Democratic press Is trying to stay
the labor tide by denouncing the Republl-
can party and declaring that the only
salvation for wOrkingmen lies in the bos-
ON of Democracy. Taking the New Or
leans Picayune as q sample doctrinoine
we have strong appeal to the party pa
triotism of men that work in their shirt
sleeves and overalls. In the next presi-
Dental election, it says, either Democrat
or Republican must win. and 1t remains
for the labor element to decide whether
third candidate shall take the field with no
better purpose than to effect split in the
ranks of the Democracy. 1t thinks that
as between Democrat and Republican,
no laboring man should hesitate q
moment, because, 1.-The return or the Re
publicans to power would mean four years
of oppressive legislation, the further de-
velopment Of mOnied aristOcracy, and the
building up of barriers across every ave-
nue. by which the masses may hope to
travel toward that prosperity to which
they are entitled"
|. Our southern contemporary Is OF Opin-
ion that all the interest manifested by Re
publican agencies the movement OF work
people to better their condition is from
sinister motives, brought about by be-
lief that it will injure the Democratic
party. And by way Of showing how deep
is the hyprOcrisy of Republicans and how
little ground there Is In their pretensions OF
friendship for the laboring poor, the Plea
yune says:
The history of the Republican party es.
tablishes the fact that it has not been and
cannot be the party of the poor man and
the laborer. While, therefore. 1t may gain
by the canvass Of labor candidate in the
next national contest, 1t has very little to
lose. IA the party Of the monOpolies, aud
of the moneyed interest generally, it has
giyen the sanction of law to schemes Of
ayarice. and in return it has received the
! suffrage and the material aid Of the rail
road kings and millionaires who have
grown rich at the expense of the people.
The Democratic party, on the other hand.
is par excellence the poor mans party, and
has had to struggle ever since the wal
against the united opposition of nearly all
the great capitalists in the country.
How easily 1t is for some people to talk
and how difficult it is for some people to
see the truth. A claim Of the Democratic
party that it ever was or is now in sympa
thy with the working people is SO transpar-
emily ridiculous, that any reasonably In
formed person can see through it even in
cl.udy weather. The Democratic party,
in its entirety, defended and supported the
institution of slavery, which was the buy
ing and selling and working Of human Ia
boring mechanics In fifteen states OF the
| union, and the whole southern wing of the
party, with the sympathy Of seventy five
Der cent. of the northern wing, went to war
in order to perpe,uate the barbarous Gus
tom. A party guilty of such conduct,
ought to say nothing that would necessari-
" recall the hideous record.
But, leaving that part Of the history out
Of eight, the party stands before the coun-
try no better. It has been continuously
and persistently opposed to every effort
made to widen the field of labor in this
country and mako 1t more profitable.
Though Jefferson, Jackson. Buchanan and
\ few other leading Democrats were pro-
tectionists, in favor of diversifying Amer
lean industries by developing our natural
resources, and doing at homo - much
a. possible Of needed work, the
Democratic party has always been opposed
to anything approaching protective
tariff. It Is not saying too much to
state that IL there were any other
means of collecting necessary revenues
which the people would submit to, that
party would not be willing to levy farth-
ing by way Of tax On imp0rtations Of for
eien goods. In 1855 the party declared in
favor Of approaching absolute free trade as
fast as possible, and its ablest men. like
| Carlisle and Morrison, preach thst doctrine
today.
II the Democratic party could point 70 q
single act in its history favoring the inter
eats of labor, there would b that much
reason for this talk about sympathy with
the working people. But the record Is alb
s,lutely blank on that subject. The party
even opposed the homestead law.
On the other hand, the Wing party was
always in favor Of protection. and its legis-
innate successor. the Republican party. in
the beginning. declared itself In favor Of
PROTECTING American industries BY means
Of tariff legislation. In 1850. after eeries
Of eight administrations, only two OF which
were Whig the average wages OF labor
"a reported in the census Of that year VA
Iess than $500 q year. being about t2o6.
In 1879, under the operation Of Republican
tariff policy, the average had increased TO
can. and in 1890 It WAS t347. Wages 70
day low Is they are. are 30 to 30 Per cent
higher than they were in the bess days OF
Democratic rule, and besides that prices o!
manufactured goods OF all kinds are cheaper
50 that while The working man g-ss more
dollars than be did then ne can purchase
nore with them and obtain more comforts.
TELL By ALL MANS. MARSH
Jus, now there b u pressing demand or
the DAFT Of the LeAvenworth Times. and
certain other Republican papers that have
been newly converted 70 ne pfoAioaaos
80 80 uou Mapsh hursiock nake